The present disclosure relates to a reel-to-reel chalk line apparatus and method.
A chalk box is a device or apparatus used to provide chalk marks (impregnated lines) on a work surface, e.g., a concrete, wood, asphalt, ceramic etc. surface. The chalk box includes a string or an impregnated line on which a chalk substance (typically powder) can be provided. The chalk substance is transferred to the work surface by snapping the impregnated line after it has been made taut over the surface to be marked. The impregnated line can be wound onto a rotatable reel inside the chalk box housing for storage. The chalk box stores the chalk substance as well as the impregnated line, and can be refilled with additional chalk substance when the chalk substance runs out.
The present disclosure provides improvements over prior art chalk boxes. A disadvantage in using a known chalk box over a relatively long distance is that one or two people may be required to operate the chalk line. Typically, a one-person user affixes one end of the line to a fixed location and then travels the distance to be marked before snapping the line and then goes back to unfix the line, all the while reeling the impregnated chalk line in and out of the chalk box. This process may be repeated a number of times, when multiple lines are required. Over relative long distances, two people are preferred. One person holds the chalk box and the second person travels the distance to be marked carrying the line along the way. Once the line is snapped, the second person returns the line to the first person, while the first person rewinds the impregnated line into the chalk box to reload the line with chalk. When multiple lines are required, this process is repeated with the second person going back and forth repeatedly. The present invention provides a solution to the inefficient use of the current technology, especially when chalking long lines repeatedly. The reel-to-reel chalk box apparatus as disclosed herein is adaptable to a variety of chalk box designs. The following specification discloses improvements to an exemplary design as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,713,810, to Spaulding.